The Cleveland Guardians - known as the Cleveland Indians until 2021 - were founded in 1894 and are one of the founding members of the MLB. They have participated in American League play ever since.
From Indians to Guardians
. There was a long debate surrounding the Indians name affix, which eventually ended in a renaming. In 2021, the Cleveland-based franchise changed its name to Guardians. The new name is due to the statutes at the Hope Memorial Bridge. There, the Guardians can be seen, each holding a transportation vehicle in their hands. These guardians are meant to represent progress in transportation.
Successes in the World Series
. The team was founded back in the 19th century. The first successes were initially a long time coming. It was to take just under 20 years. In 1920, the team qualified for the World Series by winning 98 games in the Regular Season. There they met the Brooklyn Robins, later known as the Dodgers. Elmer Smith hit the first World Series grand slam in the fifth game and Jim Bagby Sr. hit the first home run by a pitcher. These special moments by Cleveland players led to winning the World Series 5-2 in the series. The team dedicated this title to former shortstop Ray Chapman, who passed away that same season. Nearly 30 years after their first victory, the Guardians captured the title for the second and currently final time. In 1948, they defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-2.
Golden '90s
True, it was not enough for a title in the 1990s. Nevertheless, these years can be confidently called the most successful period in the history of the Guardians. Led by Jim Thome, they reached the postseason every year from 1995 to 1999. In 1995 and 1997 they even participated in the World Series. Including the last World Series against the Cubs in 2016, which they also lost, the Guardians' current ballpark has seen as many finals as all other venues in complete Cleveland baseball history combined.
Industrial Chic
. The current ballpark, Progressive Field, opened in downtown Cleveland in 1994 after two years of construction and seats nearly 34,000 spectators. A striking feature is the steel-design exterior, which blends perfectly with the image of Cleveland as an industrial city. From all the stands, there is a beautiful view of the city skyline. In the stadium itself, you can quite clearly recognize the simple C in red team color. It has replaced the very familiar Chief Wahoo logo and can now be found on the caps. Another new logo is the red G with angel wings clutching a baseball. Players like Jim Thome have made their mark on the team over the years, even though he didn't stay in Cleveland for his entire career. He was educated in Ohio and earned his place in the Cleveland Hall of Fame. Players like Thome are the target of every rookie promotion. This one will be taken care of for the Cleveland Guardians by the Columbus Clippers, Akron RubberDucks, Lake County Captains and Lynchburg Hillcats.